Llotch
There is an island called Llotch off the north-east coast of Mortimar. Llotch is populated with small tribes that have previously been half conquered, and then fled to the island to retain their ancient traditions. The island has its’ own east/west split due to a tall mountain range that splits it in two running from north to south. The west side is lush rain forest, the east is almost completely desert. The peoples of both sides of the island have ruled that the mountains belong to none but the mystical Cycle, and no one but a shaman may pass through them. The Ones The east-siders are a loose collection of tribes that call themselves “The Ones” and originated in Mortrimar. The majority of the population digs out a meager existence in the desert. Along the coast there are three thriving ports at the only places not fronted by massive cliffs. These ports are the only source of goods or travel to or from that side of the island, as the mountains act as a permanent barrier. The ports are strictly controlled by the tribes that operate them and prices on exports are extremely high considering the value given for what the desert dwellers can provide. The Ones have labelled the people across the mountains“The Usurpers”, and accuse them of stealing the sacred land that was promised to them when they began to flee the persecution and destruction that chased them from the northern continent of Mortrimar. The Lost The west-siders are equally disparate tribes that call themselves “The Lost” in memory of the lands they lost to the spread of the Mandate. The rain forest provides an abundance of resources, but the magical and natural predators take a great toll on any that attempt to collect these resources. Great cities have grown up as there is safety in numbers, but smaller hamlets are few and far between.These people refer to the people across the mountains as “The Revenant”, they know of The Revenant's own losses, but fear them as mighty raiders. The Ones raid the fog shrouded north-west coast of the Mandate and are rarely caught. The brunt of the Mandate’s retaliation is taken by The Lost as they live on the closer side of the island. As a consequence, the east coast of Llotch is practically deserted, a series of canals and locks provide protection from ocean raids to the cities inland along the great rivers that run from the mountains to the ocean allowing The Lost to access the ocean waters for trade and limit the reach of the Mandate's retaliation. The Ones believe The Lost deserve the attacks visited upon them by the Mandate as punishment for keeping them the Land of Promise. The Cycle The Shamans of Llotch are collectively known as “The Cycle” and are accepted as religious and spiritual leaders to all the tribes that inhabit the island. They are the only people allowed to cross the mountains of Llocth and interact between tribes, they provide healing, and minimal trade in addition to mystical guidance. The cycle is populated by a mix of people from every tribe on the island. Every ten years each tribe selects one child born in that year to be sent across the mountains to another tribe after the next ten year cycle has passed. They are either taken in as a member of the new tribe adding new blood, or are sent to The Cycle to become a shaman. The Cycle practices a unique form of life energy manipulation, utilizing it to merge individual creatures life "Circles" together to live convergent life path. This practice is used to "surf" the Circles and catch glimpses into possible futures. It is forbidden to merge the Circles of sapient beings, and any creation there of is viewed as an abomination. Abominations were ritually executed in days past, in spite of (or perhaps because of) the fact that it's occurrence was so unusual it became clear however that any time an abomination was executed great ill fell upon the land. As a result the last known Abomination was exiled instead. While there was a period of hardship that followed, it was no where near as devastating as when the previous Abominations were executed.